BALCONY HOUSE MUSEUM

ABOUT

Balcony House, a delightful and charming home turned museum, is located on Market Street, just off Bay Street.

The earliest life of the house possibly dates back to about 1788, as a map of the Town of Nassau indicates a structure on the site, which would place it in the Loyalist period of history. Stephen Dillet, the first black person to serve as an elected official in The Bahamas, lived in the house during the mid-1800s.

American heiress, Josephine Bryce, the last owner to use the house as a residence, heavily influences the home’s present day interior. Balcony House served as her in-town cottage from the 1930s – 1970s. The House was later purchased by the Central Bank of The Bahamas. Following its restoration, interior designer, Annie Ralston was hired, bring back that quaint charm that has always been associated with Balcony House.

The building represents great architectural interest. It is timber-built in a style influenced by the southeast United States. The most remarkable feature of the house is the front balcony, which is partly supported by wooden knee brackets. The fine mahogany interior staircase is believed to be salvaged from a ship. There is a detached stone kitchen at the rear.